FIR not enough, won’t rest till Majithia is arrested: Sidhu

PTI, Dec 26, 2021, 6:14 PM IST

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Sunday said he will not rest till senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been booked under the NDPS Act, is arrested.

Just registering an FIR against Majithia is not enough, he said, addressing a public meeting at Batala in Gurdaspur.

Taking a jibe at the senior Akali leader, Sidhu dared him to come out and face the law.

”Where are you Bikram Majithia,” he asked, adding, ”If you have guts, be at home. Are you scared?” In his address, the state Congress chief batted for his ‘Punjab model’ of governance and promised to provide minimum support price on pulses and oilseeds if his party returns to power in the state.

Sidhu also told the gathering that it was just he who fought against the sand mafia for five years.

Sharpening his attack against Majithia, he said, ”Nothing will happen with the FIR. Unless he (Majithia) is arrested, Sidhu will not rest.” Majithia has been booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act on the basis of a 2018 status report of a probe into the drug racket in the state.

The report was filed by Anti-Drug Special Task Force (STF) chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2018.

A Mohali court has even rejected Majithia’s anticipatory bail plea. A lookout circular, which prevents a person from leaving the country, has also been issued against the former Punjab minister.

Sidhu also appeared to take on his own party’s government, asking the gathering whether they are getting cable TV connection at Rs 100 per month.

”There may be many announcements. Are you getting cable at Rs 100? Are you getting sand free of charge, its (sand) price is Rs 3,700-4,400 (trolley)…,” he said.

”This is why I am telling you it will not work with mere talks. It will come with a policy and budgetary allocation… it won’t work with ‘jugaad’,” the Congress leader said.

Last month, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had announced that the charges for cable TV connection had been fixed at Rs 100 a month.

Batting for his ‘Punjab model’ of governance, Sidhu said if it gets clearance from the party leadership, a sand trolley will be available at just Rs 1,000.

He said this time, either he will stay or the sand and liquor mafia.

”Punjab’s land is being looted even today, and the state is being mortgaged,” he alleged.

Stating that no rival political party has given any roadmap for the farming sector, Sidhu promised minimum support price for oilseeds and pulses if his party returns to power.

Asserting that Batala was known for its foundry industry, Sidhu said the local industry would be allowed to buy the cheapest power wherever it was available in the country.

He also asked the gathering not to fall prey to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s “trap”. Sidhu lashed out at the Delhi chief minister for not giving jobs promised to the people in the national capital.

Without naming anyone, Sidhu said if people wanted to save Punjab’s next generation, punish people like Majithia, delivery of justice in sacrilege incidents and employment for youth, they should bring an honest person at the top.

”The chief minister does everything, he has absolute power,” he said.

”If you make an honest person sit at the top, then honesty and transparency will percolate down below,” the Congress leader said.

Sidhu also backed the candidature of local leader Ashwani Sekhri from the Batala seat.